Henry Chilton

Sir Henry Getty Chilton GCMG (15 October 1877 – 20 November 1954) was a British diplomat who was minister to the Vatican and ambassador to Chile, Argentina and Spain during the Spanish Civil War.

"Photo of Henry Chilton"
Henry Chilton in 1922

Career

He was educated at Wellington College and joined the Diplomatic Service as an attaché in 1902.[1] He served at Vienna, Copenhagen; The Hague; Brussels; Berlin and Washington, DC, before he was appointed Counseller of Embassy at Rio de Janeiro in 1920 and then at Washington, DC, in 1921.

In 1924, he was promoted to be Minister to the United States[2] under the Ambassador, Sir Esmé Howard. Still with the rank of minister, he was the British envoy to the Vatican from 1928 to 1930.[3] He was then promoted to ambassador and posted to Chile 1930–33,[4] to Argentina (1933–1935)[5] and to Spain (1935-1939).[6]

Soon after the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936, several embassies in Madrid, including the British, evacuated to Hendaye, France, on the border with Spain.[7] "Chilton was a blatant admirer of the nationalists and preferred to stay in Hendaye rather than return to Madrid"[8] while it was still under Republican control. He left Hendaye on long leave prior to his retirement in December 1937. The Times stated, "His has been an exacting, delicate and in many respects a thankless task, carried out with unfailing courtesy and devotion to duty."[9] Geoffrey Thompson, secretary to the embassy, was chargé d'affaires until Owen O'Malley, who held the rank of minister, took over the embassy at Hendaye. Chilton returned to Hendaye in May 1939 on his way to Madrid to collect his belongings. He was succeeded as ambassador by Sir Maurice Peterson in the autumn of 1939.[10]

During the Second World War, Chilton worked in the Ministry of Economic Warfare and then in the Ministry of Information. He accompanied Lord Willingdon on a trade mission to South America in 1940 to 1941. Sir Henry also served in the Home Guard from 18 June 1940 to 13 September 1941.

Family

Born on 15 October 1877 at West Clandon, Guildford, Surrey. His mother was Caroline Chilton and father Alfred R.T.Chilton.

In 1906, while he was serving in Copenhagen, Chilton married Katherine, the daughter of Thomas J. O'Brien, the US ambassador to Denmark. They had two daughters. Katherine died in 1959.

Honours

Henry Chilton was appointed CMG in the New Year Honours of 1921,[11] knighted KCMG in the King's Birthday Honours of 1930[12] and raised to GCMG in the New Year Honours of 1934.[13]

References
  • CHILTON, Sir Henry Getty, Who Was Who, A & C Black, 1920–2008; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2007, retrieved 6 Sept 2012
  • Obituary – Sir Henry Chilton, The Times, London, 22 November 1954, page 8
  1. The London Gazette, 18 April 1902
  2. The London Gazette, 29 July 1924
  3. The London Gazette, 30 November 1928
  4. The London Gazette, 26 August 1930
  5. The London Gazette, 30 January 1934
  6. The London Gazette, 22 November 1935
  7. Hendaye Now Center For Envoys To Spain, The New York Times, 2 August 1936
  8. Beevor, Antony (2006). The Battle for Spain: the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939 (Rev ed.). New York: Penguin Books. p. 134. ISBN 014303765X.
  9. Sir Henry Chilton Leaves Hendaye, The Times, London, 30 December 1937, page 10
  10. British Embassy in Madrid, The Times, London, 27 May 1939, page 11
  11. Supplement to the London Gazette, 1 January 1921
  12. Supplement to the London Gazette, 3 June 1930
  13. Supplement to the London Gazette, 1 January 1934
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